


The Help

by Estrella3791



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-14 03:10:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14761475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrella3791/pseuds/Estrella3791
Summary: Susan Hargrove is not okay, and she needs help, but she doesn't want it. The Sinclairs give her some, anyway.





	The Help

**Author's Note:**

> This... happened? I don't even know, to be honest with you. Evidently I have a huge thing for the Sinclairs helping redheads out. I'm not sure if there should be trigger warnings, but Susan is definitely not doing that great. Referenced abuse, but none actually happens in here. The whole situation just makes me sad.  
> Enjoy...?

'What are you?' the magazine asks her. 'If you tried to talk about yourself, as if you were a character in a novel, how would you be described?'

Silly, Susan thinks. Bad headline. Not articulate. Not at all what she came in this store on a Saturday for. She scornfully pushes her cart past the display, but it still sets her mind off, wondering what her description would be. 

If she were asked to describe herself, Susan would probably use words like gullible and somewhat unobservant. She's never, ever been able to pick up on subtle clues, read body language, get a feel for what someone was like without actually knowing them. Nor was Dave, her first husband. Her share of wariness, she thinks, was passed on to her daughter. Maxine is beyond capable of seeing through someone at the first glance.

Which is why Susan really, really wishes that she'd taken her daughter's advice and not married Neil. 

At the time, though, it seemed so shallow and foolish, Max’s dislike of her new boyfriend, then fiancé. She'd been sure that it was just her daughter having a hard time over losing her old father and gaining a new one. Susan was stupid back then, easily convinced by the bouquets of flowers and love notes and big romantic gestures that Neil wasn't just the next guy, he was the right one. She'd been sure that he meant it when he said he was in love with Maxine as much as with her, that he would care for her like his own daughter and she would be like the sister Billy never had.

A real family, he said. That's what they'd be.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Sometimes she thinks that she still loves him. When he brings the groceries she asks for, when he kisses her forehead and dances with her in the kitchen, when he ruffles Max's hair and winks at her over her daughter's red head. Sometimes she's positive that he was just going through a rough patch, that it was a momentary thing, that now they'll be that 'real family' he promised her.

Stupid.

She wishes that she had the guts to stand up to him, like Max. She'd never admit it, but she is beyond proud every time her daughter stands her ground against Susan's husband. She watches Max stare him down, flip him off, scream right back, and she feels more pride than she ever knew she'd feel in the brave, courageous, foolhardy entity that is Maxine Mayfield. 

(She wishes she herself was still Mayfield, sometimes, though that's beside the point.)

Anyway, _all _of that is beside the point.__

__What was her point again?_ _

__She's so scatterbrained these days, unable to focus on anything, her concentration not able to last more than a few moments, at best. She knows it probably has something to do with the stress, with the fact that her home is just a house and couldn’t be less homey, that she doesn't feel safe anywhere she goes, but she doesn't let herself dwell on it. She'll start sleeping better, she'll drink more water, she'll be fine._ _

__She knows that this is yet another area of her life that she's being fooled in. Somehow it's so much easier and more pleasant to fool herself than to be tricked by someone else._ _

__"Mom?" Max says, sounding concerned._ _

__She looks up to meet her eyes. Her daughter is holding onto the side of the shopping cart, searching her face, frustration and worry evident in her expression._ _

__"What's wrong, Maxy?" she asks, unable to keep the tone of weariness from creeping into her voice._ _

__"You tried to leave without paying," the cashier says, sounding unimpressed, and Susan blinks the haziness of her mind away enough to realize that she somehow pushed her cart past the checkout counter without noticing._ _

__Goodness. She really needs to start paying more attention._ _

__"Sorry," she mumbles, because it's nothing short of humiliating to do such a thing, and briefly considers just walking out (minus the cart, of course) to get away from all the whispers and glances._ _

__She doesn't, because her daughter may be shouted at and sometimes shoved around but she will not be starved._ _

__It’s so sick and twisted, she thinks as she digs through her purse for cash, that this counts as a sacrifice. Staying in the spotlight of the grocery store gazes, letting the people gossip about Susan Hargrove and the way that she stumbles around like a drunk. Back in California, a sacrifice would have been giving up some time that she would have spent otherwise to talk or laugh or watch a movie with Max. It would have been offering to open her home to five more girls because it was beyond important to her daughter that they come over so it was beyond important to her, too._ _

__Susan thinks that she gave more because she had more to give. It’s because Dave gave her love and attention and peace, and Neil sucks it away. She wonders why she ever thought that her relationship with David was hell, because this one is ten times worse._ _

__She hates the way she can’t keep track of one thing or another nowadays, as she has to ask the cashier to repeat the price so she can hand over the right amount of money._ _

__“Keep the change,” she says, before she can even try to hand it back. Grabbing the grocery bags, she gives a curt nod to the woman and marches out of the store._ _

__Maxine jogs to keep up with her._ _

__“Mom,” she says, “you gotta stop this.”_ _

__“Stop what?” Susan scoffs, hefting a bag onto her hip to take the weight off of her arm. “I’m fine.”_ _

__“ _That _,” Max says, frustration audible in her voice. She slows to a stop and Susan does, too, keeping her gaze anywhere but her daughter’s face because meeting her eyes isn’t something she wants to do right now. “You keep saying you’re fine, but you’re not. You…” Max pauses and squints, like she’s trying to figure out how to say what she wants to say.___ _

____Susan knows what she’s _going _to say.___ _ _ _

______‘You need help.’ The girl won’t stop. ‘You need help, Mom.’ ‘It’s okay. Lots of people do.’ ‘Talking to someone would help a lot.’_ _ _ _ _ _

______Shrinks are for psychopaths, not Susan._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You need to get some help,” Max says, finally, just like Susan knew she would. “Maybe talking about it - ”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I really don’t need anything, Max,” she shakes her head, frowning. “I’m just a little tired, is all. I think I’ll take a nap when I get home.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“But a nap won’t fix it,” Max says, fighting for calm. “There’s a bigger problem underneath than just sleep deprivation.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______And that’s when things start to click into place, despite the fact that Susan is unobservant and heedless. It’s the words that sound like they’ve been said before, by someone other than Maxine._ _ _ _ _ _

______Max has been talking to someone. About her._ _ _ _ _ _

______Susan sees red._ _ _ _ _ _

______“We will discuss this later,” she hisses, grabbing Max’s arm with what little range of motion is left unhindered by the bags._ _ _ _ _ _

______Max is clearly bewildered, apparently unsure of what she could have done to warrant such anger. That girl is going to _hear _it, later. She’ll tell Neil. She’ll tell him that Max has been talking to people, telling them things that are none of their business. That’ll make him mad. He hates it when anyone but his family knows anything about his family, and he’ll give her some good whackings, and _that _will show the girl that Susan will not tolerate being spoken of behind her back._____ _ _ _ _ _

__________Susan stops, in the middle of the parking lot, and panics._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She has never, ever, _ever _in her life wanted Maxine to be hurt, in _any _way, no matter what. She’s seen other parents get upset, give their children a smart smack, and she’s felt smug and righteous, because, before now, she’s never had the slightest desire to see anyone (except, perhaps, for Dave back when they were getting their divorce, and Neil now) hurt in any way._____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Something is wrong._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She has the realization, right there, still clutching Max’s sweater sleeve, that she _does _need help. She never wants to be that angry at her daughter ever again.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Maxine,” she says, and Max says nothing. She looks frozen. She looks scared. Of _course _she does. She’s been grabbed and shoved by lots of people, but never her mother. Never.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Her heart breaks, and she wishes more than anything that she’d protected her daughter better, from men who want to hurt her and from pain of any kind._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________It’s too late for that, but she _can _protect Max from any more failures on her end.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Max,” she says, releasing her grip on the sweater and consciously quieting her voice, “you’re right. I do need help.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Max’s eyes promptly well up with tears, and Susan panics again. Her daughter doesn’t cry. Her daughter fights. What has she done to break that strong girl?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________But then a trembling smile breaks through the tears and Susan relaxes. She hasn’t messed up that badly yet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Do you want to go now?” Max asks softly, like Susan will bolt if she’s not careful._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________She says no, because even if she’s realized that she has a problem she’s not ready to confront it yet. She kind of wants to get used to the idea of needing help before actively seeking it out._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________***_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Who do you know?” She asks later, when they’re finished putting the dishes away and Max is wiping her hands on the dish towel after spilling some soda. “That can help me, I mean?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Max looks caught, like she didn’t know that her mother knew._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________To give Max credit, her mother didn’t know until very recently._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“I…” she starts, and then stops, looking sheepish. “A… friend. Friend’s dad, I mean. He has an office, and you can go talk to him. He won’t charge you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Susan raises an eyebrow, feeling a little lost, like she’s missed out on her daughter’s life since they moved to Hawkins._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________She has, when she thinks about it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Really? What’s your friend’s name?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“L - ” Max starts, and then stops. “Erica,” she says instead, face flaming, and Susan is intrigued._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Lerica?” she says, and Max shrugs, still blushing furiously._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Her name’s Erica,” she says. “She’s got a brother named Lucas.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Mmm,” Susan says, gears whirring away in her brain. This is all very interesting, and almost enough to distract her from the fact that she’s going to talk to someone she doesn’t know about a problem she doesn’t even understand._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Yeah,” Max says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“And we can just go over any time?” Susan asks._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“We should probably schedule something if we’re going to the office, but we can just go to their house in the evening if you want,” Max says. “We’re welcome any time.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Susan finds this very, very interesting._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Okay,” she says. “Would we be welcome tomorrow night?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Really?” Max asks, perking up. “You’re serious?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________It’s very serious. Susan isn’t quite sure just how deep her problem goes, but she suspects it’s pretty deep._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Yep,” she says, popping the ‘p’, and Max is delighted._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“I’ll go call him right now,” she says, and Susan isn’t sure if she means the father or the Lucas but she suspects that it’s the latter._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Max retreats to the safety of her bedroom, stretching the cord to make it possible, and Susan tries not to eavesdrop. Really she does. It’s not her fault that the walls are so thin._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________She listens to silence, and then whoever is on the other end of the line must have picked up, because Max says, with a smile in her voice, “Hey! Yeah, it’s me. Can I talk to Lucas?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Ha, Susan thinks, the plot thickens._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Guess what, Stalker?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Stalker?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“She said yes! Mom’s willing to talk to your dad!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Max sounds so excited, Susan feels a pang of guilt. Max has clearly been waiting for this for a long time. It makes sense, if ‘Lerica’s’ dad is a therapist or psychologist or whatever the word is. It’s not like their family dynamic is a particularly healthy one. If she’s getting descriptions of depression or chronic anger or who knows what thrown at her and told to watch for them, she’s bound to get worried._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________It makes Susan feel guilty that there are actually grounds for her to worry on._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Lots of conversation happens after that, with laughter and smiling and such a warm tone in her daughter’s voice that Susan wonders how long it’s been since she’s heard Max show _feelings _.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Whoever this Lucas kid is, he’s good for her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Forty-five minutes later Max emerges from her room, less happiness on her face than in her voice, but still more happiness than she wears as a general rule._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“So can they work us in?” Susan asks, busying herself with a pad of paper and a pen, scribbling in the margins and writing another grocery list in the middle. They might have just gone shopping, but that doesn’t mean she actually got everything they needed. She can’t seem to keep her focus on anything._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________The more she thinks about it, the more she realizes that she does indeed need help._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“Yep!” Max says. “Six o’clock tomorrow night. We’re invited to dinner.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“That sounds nice,” Susan says, and it does. Except that Neil might freak out and then she’d have to go to work with a ton of makeup covering some bruises._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Yeah, they need help._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________***_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Susan finds herself anxiously rifling through her closet, unsure of how she should look and what she should wear and if she should put on a little lipstick._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“It doesn’t matter what you look like,” Max says impatiently, swinging her sneakered feet as she sits on Susan’s bed. (Neil’s thankfully away, on a ‘business trip’, meaning that Max can enter the master bedroom without getting screamed at.) “They won’t care.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________True as this may be, Susan still wants to make a good impression, wants to show these ‘Sinclairs’ that even if her brain is scrambled she can still manage to keep herself together._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Even if it’s really just a facade. Still, a facade is better than letting them see the real her, the one that can’t even gather the energy to wake up in the morning, let alone put on lipstick._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________She ends up going for a dressy-casual look, swiping on the lipstick but foregoing the heels._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“Ready?” Maxine asks as she descends the front steps. (Max quickly got tired of watching her get ready so she went outside to skate until Susan got herself together.)_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“Yes,” she says. “How do I look?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“You look great,” Max says. “Let’s go.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Though she feels fairly sure that Max is only saying she looks great so they can get where they’re going, she still feels somewhat gratified by the fact that her daughter just complimented her appearance, so she feels pretty good as they climb in the car and start driving._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________As they near the Sinclairs’, however, she feels less good and more terrified._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“It’s okay,” Max says. “Don’t worry.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Susan worries anyway._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________She fusses with her collar as they walk up the front steps, and is scandalized when Max turns the doorknob and steps in like she owns the place._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“Maxine!” she hisses._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“It’s all right, Mrs. Hargrove,” a warm voice calls. A woman comes into view, wiping her hands on her apron. “This is Max’s house, too.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________She gives Maxine a warm smile, and Susan feels her heart sink._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________The Sinclairs are black._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________It’s not that she has anything against black people. She doesn’t think it matters very much, what the color of someone’s skin is._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________It’s that Neil does, and if he finds out that she’s talking to a family of them, he’ll go ballistic._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________If he finds out that Maxine is in love with one, he’ll go _insane _.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“You all right?” Mrs. Sinclair asks, looking concerned._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Fine,” Susan says faintly. “I’m fine.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________She’s not. If Neil finds out…_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Max!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________A girl who looks around nine barrels towards her daughter, flinging her arms around her middle._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Erica! How’s it going?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Great! Lucas tripped and fell down the steps and scraped himself all up. It was hilarious.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Erica!” someone, Lucas, she presumes, hisses as he limps gingerly down the stairs._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Aww,” Max says, laughing, but with concern still visible on her face, “Are you okay, Stalker?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Stalker. What is up with that?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Fine,” Lucas says, straightening up, not wanting her daughter to think him weak._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________How has this happened without her knowing anything about it?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Dinner’s about ready,” Mrs. Sinclair says. “Shall we go in?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Everyone follows her into the dining room, and Susan meets Mr. Sinclair._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Call me Dan,” he says, and Mrs. Sinclair follows with a ‘Call me Linda.’_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Call me Susan, then,” Susan says, before she knows what’s happening, because what Neil doesn’t know won’t hurt him and she thinks she likes these people._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Dinner is a pleasant affair, with smiles and laughter and a lot of Lucas making goo-goo eyes at Max. Susan can’t help but find it adorably endearing, how ridiculously smitten he is with her daughter. She catches Linda’s eye at one point, and both mothers exchange knowing grins._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________In short, Susan completely forgets about the real reason they’re there until Mr. Sinclair - Dan - clears his throat, tells his wife dinner was delicious, and pushes his chair back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________It’s like a douse of icy water. All the nerves and anxiety that were gnawing at her earlier are back with full force, and she thinks that there’s no way she’ll be able to go through with this. She’s three seconds away from bolting when Linda stands up, too, and says, “Susan, would you mind helping me with the dishes?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________She can’t even say anything, so she doesn’t try. She just takes her own plate and Erica’s (the girl beams at her and says, “Thank you, Mrs. Hargrove” so politely that she decides that if Neil has an issue with the Sinclairs she will personally cuss him out) and follows Linda into the kitchen._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“I can help, too,” Max says, scrambling to stand up, but Lucas pulls her back down._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“We’ll be fine without you, honey,” Linda says gently, and Max looks slightly offended until Lucas whispers something in her ear. After that she looks sheepish._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________She thinks that Linda will ask her to talk about how she’s feeling or something equally appropriate for the wife of a therapist to say, but she doesn’t. She just starts running hot water in the sink._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Thank you for dinner,” Susan ventures after a while, to break the silence. “It was delicious.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“You’re very welcome,” Linda says with a smile._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“And thank you for being so kind to Max,” Susan continues, the words coming out of her without her meaning to say them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Linda smiles even wider at that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“It’s our pleasure,” she says. “Maxine is a lovely girl.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“She is,” Susan says, smiling, too._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“It means a lot to her that you’re willing to do this, you know,” Linda says casually, soaping up a plate._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Susan is so impressed with her artful manipulation that she lets herself be manipulated._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Something needs to change,” she says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“That’s a very brave thing to say,” Linda says, and for some reason it feels like the greatest compliment Susan could ever receive._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Hmm,” she hums noncomittally. _Brave _. She can be brave, for Maxine. “Do you need me for anything else?”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________“I never needed you for anything in the first place, honey, and you know it,” Linda says. “Go take the first step towards changing things.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________‘Honey’ makes Susan feel warm and cared for and she doesn’t know why but she likes it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________“Thank you,” she says again, “for the help.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________Linda smiles and returns to the dishes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________“Anytime,” she says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> If it was a huge mess I'm very sorry. I think this was mostly just me having very strong feelings about how mental illness is just as big a deal as physical illness, and I took it out on Susan...? I don't know, and I'm sorry, but I hope you liked it all the same.
> 
> If you need help, get help! Never be ashamed to ask for what you need.
> 
> You're all beautiful and I love you very, very much. 
> 
> <3


End file.
